Interactivity and feedback in third World development campaigns

Using Third World development campaigns as a point of departure, this essay examines how current interpretations of the interactive model have confounded two dimensions of communication, namely, information processing and social relationship. It proposes a revision of current interpretations based, in part, on Habermas’ theory of communicative action, particularly his discussion of the ideal speech situation. It also suggests that communication as a social relationship is a contested terrain, with coalition formation along shared interests contributing to changes in power over time among various participants. According to Gramsci, formation of coalitions plays a major role in the emergence of the historical bloc. This essay suggests an analytic framework for feedback using the revised interpretation of the interactive model.